'We control America'

WHEN meeting with settlers in the "Jewish only" colony of Ofra in
2001, current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was caught on
camera explaining how he sabotaged the Oslo peace accords - bragging
that "America is something that can be moved easily."

In 2003, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was quoted as telling then Israeli President Moshe Katsav: "We (Jews) control America."

Mr Sharon and Mr Netanyahu's ominous declarations were proven again
this week at the America Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)
meeting.

On Monday night, Mr Netanyahu's speech was reportedly attended by
more than two- thirds of the US Congress - a bigger turnout than that
attracted by President Barack Obama. The AIPAC convention is the largest
coveted "donors'" gathering for aspirant politicians.

Mr Netanyahu's ability to move the US was seen once more in President
Obama's recent interview with The Atlantic magazine and on Sunday in
his unctuous speech at the AIPAC annual convention.

In the interview, he seemed more concerned with assuring members of
the foreign lobby that he was the best Israeli friend in the White
House. "Every single commitment I have made to... Israel... I have
kept," he said.

After elaborating on supplementary military assistance, including the
anti-missile 'Iron Dome' to protect Israelis, he talked about "ensuring
that Israel maintains its qualitative military edge" and even shielding
Israel for violating human rights at the United Nations Human Rights
Council, General Assembly and in the Goldstone Report.

He then made a final pathetic plea to Christian and Jewish Zionists.
"Why is it despite me never failing to support Israel on every single
problem that they've had over the last three years, that there are still
questions about that?" he asked. At the AIPAC convention, he cited
Israel more than 70 times. Yet there was zilch about the US economy
while he pandered to members of a foreign lobby.

Other than blaming Palestinians for the failing peace process, the
only significant addition to his interview was obsequious praise for
Polish native and current Israeli President Shimon Peres, who will be
awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom later this spring.

To his credit, President Obama did not succumb to demands by the Israeli Prime Minister to issue a war ultimatum to Iran.

While Israel appears resolute to instigate war against Iran as the
preferred option, the US military and leadership seem equally determined
to keep war as a last resort.

However, in his AIPAC speech and magazine interview, it was
disturbing that the President Obama, whose country is arming Israel with
the best technology and subsidising its economy with more than $5
billion of economic and military aid annually, still saw Israel as an
equal to the US in making war decisions, especially when such decisions
could lead to a global economic meltdown and have a devastating impact
on the sluggish US economy.

It is the first time in US history that a president has implicitly
delegated war authority - with high credible probability of future US
involvement - to a belligerent foreign entity.

Realising such power, combined with the Jewish lobby's authority over
US election and foreign policy, Israel's Prime Minister will now press
further, unfettered, with his declared intent to undermine the peace
process with the Palestinians.

President Obama ended his AIPAC address by pre-empting the impending
speeches of Republican contenders, making one last plea to Israel
firsters. He said there was "no shortage on speeches on the friendship
between the US and Israel", but asked to be judged by "where my hearts
lies" and by "what I have done to stand up for Israel".

The question is whether President Obama's superb efforts at servitude
will suffice the insatiable AIPAC, or will Republican presidential
candidates prove to be even more subservient to the most powerful US
foreign lobby?

l Mr Kanj writes frequently on Arab world issues and is the author of
Children of Catastrophe, Journey from a Palestinian Refugee Camp to
America. He can be reached at jkanj@yahoo.com.